Emergency First Aid at Work Course | Blended Learning

Emergency First Aid at Work | Blended Learning

The same EFAW qualification. Reduced theory time in the classroom.

Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, every employer must ensure adequate first aid provision is in place for their employees. For most low-hazard workplaces, such as offices, shops, studios and libraries, the Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) qualification meets that legal requirement.

This blended learning version delivers exactly the same qualification as our face-to-face EFAW course, split across roughly two hours of online pre-learning and a full classroom day.

Blended learning does not mean a shorter or easier qualification. The syllabus is identical. The practical assessment is identical. The certificate is identical. What changes is where the theory learning happens. Delegates complete the underpinning knowledge online, at their own pace, before arriving in the classroom ready to focus entirely on practical skills, scenarios and formal assessment.

For organisations managing shift patterns, dispersed teams, or delegates who travel some distance to the training venue, that shift in how time is used has real operational value.

Certificate choice: this course can be certified by Chris Garland Training or by QNUK, an Ofqual-regulated Awarding Organisation (an additional £12.50 per delegate). Both are fully valid for employer compliance purposes. Some organisations and national governing bodies specify Ofqual certification, so check before you book if you are uncertain. The choice is yours.

Prefer a fully classroom-based day? View the face-to-face EFAW course.

How the Course Works

Online pre-learning (approximately 2 hours, self-paced)

The online phase covers the underpinning theory for the full EFAW syllabus: legislation, the role of the first aider, basic anatomy and physiology, and the recognition of common medical emergencies. Delegates complete this on any device, at their own pace, before the classroom day. We share access details once the booking is confirmed.

Classroom day (full day, 9am to 5pm)

The classroom day covers all practical skills, scenario-based learning and formal assessment. Because the theory has been covered online, the entire classroom day is devoted to hands-on practice and assessment. Delegates must demonstrate competence across the full practical syllabus, including floor-level CPR, before a certificate is issued.

What You Will Learn

This course is built on the HSE’s EFAW syllabus (Document L74), updated in line with UK Resuscitation Council guidelines and guidance from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh:

• Health and safety legislation relating to first aid, covering employer and first aider duties
• The role and responsibilities of a workplace first aider
• Managing an incident, including scene safety, assessment and prioritisation
• Preventing cross-infection during first aid
• Recording incidents and first aid actions
• First aid kit contents and how to use them
• How to assess an emergency situation, so that you act safely, promptly and effectively
• The recovery position for an unresponsive casualty who is breathing
• CPR and AED use for an unresponsive casualty who is not breathing
• The difference between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest
• Choking in adults
• Wounds and bleeding, including catastrophic haemorrhage control and tourniquet application
• Minor injuries, including cuts, grazes, bruises, splinters and minor burns
• Seizures
• Medical shock

A note on tourniquets: tourniquet application is included in the HSE’s recommended first aid syllabus (L74) and is a critical skill for managing catastrophic haemorrhage. We teach it on this course because the guidance says we should.

Course Details

Choosing the Right Format

Both options lead to exactly the same EFAW qualification and the same certificate options. The difference is only in how the theory is delivered.

If your role involves forestry, outdoor work or activities on Forestry England land, you will need the EFAW+F course rather than this one. If your workplace is higher hazard, or you need a three-year certificate with a broader syllabus, see the First Aid at Work course.

Certificate:

There are two options available for this course. Ultimately there is no difference in the validity of either, but some people prefer to choose one other the other. You will see the same presentation, be assessed on the same practical skills & to the same degree, but sit different multiple choice exam papers at the end of the course.

• Certified by Chris Garland Training:
  • This is the default option.
  • We issue PDF certificates as standard, but you can request paper certificates too.
  • Your certificate is valid for 3 years.
• Certified by the Ofqual Regulated Awarding Organisation:
  • If you’d prefer this option, please select this option when making your booking above.
  • PDF format certificates are issued as standard, but paper certificates can be requested as well.
  • Your certificate is valid for 3 years.

Course duration:

• Blended learning:
  • Approximately 2 hours self-study with our online e-learning course that you take before attending a shorter face to face course.
  • 4 hours (minimum) classroom based guided learning, including practical assessments and multiple choice exam paper.
• The HSE state that for the course to be valid, your course must be a minimum of 6 hours in duration. This includes the time allowed for the assessments and exam, but does not include for any coffee breaks.
• Generally we run these courses from 9.30am until 3pm.

Test:

• As you progress through the online course you will have to undertake short multiple choice assessments. At the end of the online course, you will receive a course certificate. You must bring this certificate with you when you attend the classroom element of your course.
• Whether certified by Chris Garland Training or the Ofqual Regulated Awarding Organisation that we use, the assessments are the basically the same. Each candidate undertakes a multiple-choice question paper & practical assessment.
• Multiple-Choice Question paper:
  • You need to score a minimum of 70% correct answers to achieve a pass.
• Practical observation:
  • You’ll need to demonstrate giving first aid as you would in an emergency situation, such as providing CPR on the floor. You need to score 100% to achieve a pass.

Pre-requisites:

• You’ll need to be able to demonstrate first aid procedures as you would in a real activity environment. This includes providing CPR to a casualty who is on the floor. So you must be physically capable of doing this to pass the course.
• We recommend that you have a reasonable understanding of English & maths (e.g. GCSE grade C/Level 2) before undertaking this course. This is not mandatory – please contact us to discuss any reasonable adjustments to accommodate your needs.
• The course is suitable for anyone over 16 looking to undertake the responsibilities associated with being a nominated first aider. The course can also be undertaken by candidates between 14 & 16 years old, but they shouldn’t be relied upon by employers to be a sole, nominated first aider.

Candidates:

• All classroom courses have a minimum and maximum number of candidates that we can take on a course.
  • Minimum: We need a minimum of 4 candidates on an open/scheduled course for the course to run. Click here for more details.
  • Maximum: We are limited by the Health & Safety Executive, and (where applicable) by the Awarding Organisation, to a maximum of 12 candidates per instructor.
• Should you have more than 12 candidates to be trained, please contact us to discuss your training needs.

Geographical coverage:

• The Emergency first aid at work qualification is available to candidates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• We can deliver the qualification in other countries however candidates should be aware that the content was developed in accordance with current UK practice, protocols & guidance.

Venue:

• Scheduled courses run at our training centre in Knutsford, Cheshire. Visit our Joining Instructions page to read about what you will need to bring/wear, etc.
• If you choose the blended learning option, you’ll need to attend our training centre to complete the face to face element of the course.
• Where a private booking has been made for multiple candidates using the blended learning option, please contact us to discuss holding the practical element of the course at your venue.

Joining instructions:

• Visit this page to read the course joining instructions.
• Where your course is not being run at our main training centre, you’ll also receive an email with additional joining instructions including the venue address.

Private courses:

• To arrange a private course for yourself or your colleagues, please fill in our quote request form.